Apparatus for charging fluids or the like with carbonic-acid or other gas.



No. 732,203. PATENTED JUNE so, 1903. G. A. LOWRY.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING FLUIDS OR THE LIKE WITH GARBONIO ACID OR OTHERGAS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

Wfflrfifidd 1720872???" UNITED STATES Patented June 30, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. LOWRY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING FLUIDS OR THE LIKE WITH CARBONlC-ACID OR OTHERGAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,203, dated June 30,1903.

Application filed August 6, 19021 To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. Lower, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Sudolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Charging Fluids and theLike with Carbonic-Acid or other Gas, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to apparatus for charging fluids and the likewith carbonicacid or other gas.

The object of the invention is to provide means which are simple andeflicient whereby fluids, liquids, or the like contained in bottles orother inclosures may be readily and economically charged with carbonicacid or other gas.

The invention consists, substantially, in the construction, combination,location, and arrangement of parts, all as will be more fullyhereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, andfinally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and to the various views andreference-signs appearing thereon, Figure 1 represents a bottle or otherinclosure, a part thereof in longitudinal central section, and showingthe application thereto of an apparatus for charging the contents of thebottle with carbonicacid or other gas and embodying the principles of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the screw-cap employed incarrying out my invention. Fig. 3 is a view of a capsule filled with thegas to be charged into the contents of the bottle or other inclosure.Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a disk or plate, needle-point, andgasket employed in connection with my invention. Fig. 5 is a sectionalview of the neck of the form of a bottle or other inclosure employed inconnection with my invention. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view insection of adisk or plate and needlepoint employed in connection with myinvention. Fig. 7 is a view in bottom plan of the same.

The same part is designated by the same reference-sign wherever it theseveral views.

Methods heretofore employed for charging the contents of bottles orother inclosures with carbonic-acid or other gas have involved occursthroughout Serial No. 118,602 (No model.)

large expense in special machinery, care, and attention in the handlingand manipulation of the apparatus, and usually the charging of thecontents of bottles or the like with gas has been profitable only on alarge scale carried on in manufacturing establishments. This hasprecluded consumers generally from charging their own liquids or fluids.Oarbonic-acid or other gas employed for this purpose is now manufacturedand placed on sale in capsules in which the gas is compressed to a veryhigh degree, and it is the special purpose of my invention to providemeans which are simple and efficient and inexpensive, whereby thecontents of these charged capsules may be delivered into the contents ofbottles or the like readily and quickly and economically, therebyenabling the consuming public generally to purchase the charged capsulesandcharge their own liquids therefrom as desired.

In carrying out my invention I propose to employ means whereby thecharged capsule containing the gas under pressure may be placed insuitable position or relation with respect to the bottle or the likeinto which the contents of the capsule are to be delivered or chargedand then to effect a communication between the capsule and the interiorof the bottle or the like, and I propose to accomplish this object in amost simple and economical manner, so as to place the charging ofindividual bottles or the like within the reach of the users of chargedliquids in such manner thatthe users may efiect their own charging.

In the accomplishment of my object Iprovide means whereby the compressedgas con tained in a capsule is delivered slowly into the bottle thecontents of which are to be charged, so as to avoid the danger ofexploding the bottle.

Many specifically different constructions and arrangements may bedevised for carrying the principles of my invention into prac ticaloperation. While, therefore, I have shown and will now describe one formof apparatus and arrangement of parts for accomplishing the desiredobject, I do not desire to be limited or restricted thereto.

Referring to the construction shown in the accompanying drawings,reference-sign 1 designates a bottle or other inclosure the contents ofwhich are to be charged with carbonic-acid or other gas, and 11designates a capsule containing the gas under high pressure to becharged into the contents of the bottle 1. In practice this capsule ispreferably of oblong globular shape and is sealed at its narrow end inany suitable manner capable of being readily pierced-as, for instance,by means of a plate 12, of soft metallic material. The making andfilling of these capsules is very inexpensive and may readily be broughtto a high state of perfection; but the discharge of the contents of thecapsules into bottles in a practical, successful, and economical mannerretards the universal sale and adoption of these capsules'except byusers of large quantities, where the item of expense of charging is oflittle moment.

In carrying out my invention I so place the small end or neck of acapsule containing the gas under pressure within the mouth of a bottleor the like, the contents of which are to be charged, as to form a tightclosure or joint around the small end or neck of the capsule to preventthe escape of the compressed gas, and I then effect an opening orcommunication between the capsule and the interior of the bottle. Thisresult may be accomplished in several ways. In the form shown I employadisk or plate 4, having a piercing needle or stud 8 projectingtherethrough. This disk or plate is arranged to rest and be supportedupon aledge or shoulder 3, formed in the interior of the bottleneck,with the point of the needle or stud projecting outwardly in positionfor the sealing-plate 12 of the capsule to be pressed down,

so as to enable'said needle-point or stud topierce the sealing cap orplate 12. Preferably a fine orifice or slot 9 is formed in theneedle-point or stud 8, and since said needle-point or stud extendsthrough the disk or plate 4 it will be seen that when the capsule ispressed down into position for the needle-point or stud to pierce thesealingcap 12 the contents of the capsule will be able to escape fromthe capsule through the orifice, slot, or opening 9 into the bottle 1.In order to efliciently pack the capsule, so as to prevent the escape ofthe compressed contents thereof when the sealing-cap is pierced, I mayemploy a thimble or hollow gasket 6 of suit-able flexible material-such,for instance, as rubber and I arrange the same to receive in the centralopening therethrough a central hub or portion 5 of disk or plate 4. Iffound necessary or desirable, the rubber or other flexible gasket orthimble 6 may be bound in place upon or surrounding the hub or centralextension 5 of disk or plate 4, as by means of the Wrappings 7.

In practice, the disk or plate 4 is placed in position in the open neckof the bottle, with the thimble or resilient gasket 6 closely fittingtheinterior of the bottle-neck and surrounding the hub 5 of the disk orplate, thereby forming, in efiect, a stopper for the bottle. The chargedcapsule is then inverted and placed with the small end thereofprojecting slightly into the upper end of the resilient gasket and inposition for the sealing-plate 12 thereof to be forced down upon thepoint of the piercing needle or stud 8. The charged capsule may beforced down firmly into a bearing-seat within the ring or thimble 6 andso that the sealing-plate 12 thereof may be pierced by the needle orstud in any suitable or convenient manner. In the form shown, to which,however, my invention is not limited or restricted, I exteriorly threadthe neck of the bottle 1, as indicated at 2, and I provide a screw-cap13 with interior threads adapted to inclose the charged capsule and tobe screwed onto the threaded end of the bottle. As shown in Fig. 1, theparts are in position ready for the screw-cap 13 to be turned in orderto force the capsule 11 down into place. By turning the screw-cap thecapsule is not only forced firmlydown intola bearing Within theresilient thimble or gasket 6, which thereby efficiently packs the sameto prevent escape of the gas, but it also onables the point of theneedle or stud 8 to pierce the sealing-cap 12 of the capsule to enablethe contents of the capsule to expand into the bottle, and since a veryfine orifice, slot, or opening 9 affords com in nnication with theinterior of the bottle the contents of the capsule enters the bottleslowly, thereby avoiding danger of exploding the bottle.

In practice the gas is eontainedin the cap sule at a pressure of abouttwo thousand pounds per square inch, and in the case of carbonic-acidgas this pressure is sufiicient to liquefy the same; but when delivered,as above described, into the contents of a bottle the expansion of thecompressed liquid restores its gaseous condition.

If desired and in order to avoid the danger resulting from an explosionof the bottle While being charged, said bottle may be contained duringthe charging operation in a suitable cover or inclosure 14, of canvas orotherconvenient material.

During the charging of the contents of the bottle the bottle should beshaken in order to promote the ready inter-mingling of the gas with thecontents of the bottle.

\Vhen it is desired to use the contents ofthe bottle, the cap 13 isremoved, thereby permitting the pressure of the contents of the bottleto force the disk or plate 4 and thimble or sleeve 6 out of the bottle,leaving the neck of the bottle free to permit the contents of the bottleto be poured out. Of course it is obvious that the disk or plate 4 andits associated thimble or gasket may be removed in any other suitable orconvenient manner in case the pressure of the fluid against the innersurface of the disk or plate is not sufficient to cause the same to beblown out. Thus it will be seen that individual users are enabled atsmall expense to do their own charging, the charging apparatus formingthe stopper for the bottle.

It is obvious that many variations and changes in the details ofconstruction and arrangement would readily occur to persons skilled inthe art and still fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. I donot desire, therefore, to be limited or restricted to the exact detailsshown and described; but,

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and aconstruction embodying the principles thereof, what I claim as new anduseful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

l. The combination with a bottle or other vessel, of an elastic stoppertherefor containing a puncturing device and having a seat for a capsuleadapted to contain carbonic-acid or other gas, and means for crowdingthe capsule down upon the puncturing device, as and for the purpose setforth.

2. The combination with a bottle or other vessel, of an expansiblestopper contained in the neck thereof, a puncturing device secured tosaid stopper, and means for crowding a capsule containing carbonic-acidor other gas into the stopper and upon the puncturing device, as and forthe purpose set forth.

3. The combination with a bottle or other vessel, a stopper contained inthe neck thereof and having an opening therethrough, a puncturing devicesecured to said stopper and presented outwardly toward the mouth of thebottle, a capsule adapted to contain carbonic-acid or other gas, andmeans for crowding the capsule down upon the puncturing device, as andfor the purpose set forth.

4. An apparatus for charging bottles with carbonic-acid or other gas,including a capsule adapted to contain the gas under pressure, a plateor disk having an opening therethrough, said plate or disk arranged inthe mouth of the bottle to be charged and provided with a piercing studor needle, in combination with means for forcing the capsule down uponsaid stud or needle, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. An apparatus for charging the contents of bottles with carbonic-acidor other gas, including a capsule adapted to contain the gas underpressure, said capsule provided with a sealing-cap in the end thereofand adapted to be inverted over the open mouth of a bottle to be chargedwith the sealing-cap presented inwardly, means for packing the invertedend of the capsule, and a piercing needle or point arranged in thebottle-mouth and operating to pierce said sealing-cap and to opencommunication between the interiors of the capsule and the bottle, asand for the purpose set forth.

6. An apparatus for charging bottles with carbonicacid or other gas,including a capsule adapted to contain the gas under pressure andprovided with a pierceable sealingcap, a packing arranged in the openmouth of the bottle to be charged and adapted to receive and form abearing-seat for the sealed end of the capsule, means for pressing saidcapsule into said bearing-seat, and means for piercing said sealed capand for opening communication between the interiors of the capsule andbottle, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination with a bottle, of a closure for the mouth thereof,said closure being arranged within the neck of the bottle and having anoutwardly-presented piercingpoint, said piercing-pointprovided with aslot or opening extending through said closure and communicating withthe interior of the bottle, as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination with a bottle, of a plate or disk having an openingtherethrough and arranged in the mouth of said bottle, said plate ordisk provided with a slotted outwardly-projecting piercing-point, andmeans for crowding a capsule containing the gas down upon saidpiercing-point, whereby said capsule is punctured and its contentspermitted to enter the bottle, as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination with a bottle having a closure for the mouth thereof,said closure being arranged within the neck of the bottle and providedwith a piercing-point and having an opening therethrough communicatingwith the bottle, a vessel containing the gas, an inclosure therefor,said inclosure embracing the neck of the bottle, and means for forcingsaid vessel upon said piercing-point, whereby said vessel is punctured,as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination with a bottle having a shoulder in the mouththereof, a disk or plate received and supported upon said shoulder andprovided with an outwardly-extend ing piercing needle or point, saidpiercing needle or point provided with a slot or opening lengthwisethereof, a resilient packinggasket arranged to be received snugly in themouth of said bottle and surrounding said needle, a screw-cap for themouth of said bottle, and a capsule containing the gas under pressurearranged to be inclosed by said cap and crowded thereby into a bearingseat formed by said gasket and upon said piercing-needle, all combinedand arranged, as and for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination with a bottle having an eXteriorly-threaded neck anda shoulder formed in the interior of said neck, a plate or disk having apiercing point or needle extending therefrom and arranged to rest uponsaid shoulder, said disk or plate also having an opening therethrough, apacking-gasket arranged within the mouth of the bottle and resting uponsaid plate or disk, and a capsule having a pierceable sealing-caparranged to be seated within said gasket, with said sealingcap presentedinwardly, and an internally threaded cap arranged to be received uponsaid threaded bottle-neck and to inclose said presented piercing-point,said packing-ring adapted to receive and form a seat for the capsuleover the piercing-point, and means for crowding the capsule down uponsaid piercing-point, whereby said capsule is punctured, as and for thepurpose set forth.

GEORGE A; LOWRY.

Witnesses:

C. S. BROOKS, EVERETT E. KENT.

